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Beautiful Bedroom Sitting Areas

No matter the size and style of a bedroom, adding a sitting area is an easy and charming way to increase functionality and space. An elegant chaise longue or a pair of overstuffed armchairs instantly create a cozy reading spot or an intimate space to unwind at the end of the day. Take a look at these bedroom sitting areas and get inspired to create your own.

A medley of delicious colors—peach, mango, yellow, and blue—imbues this master bedroom with serenity. Lavish silk bed curtains cascade from an antique walnut crown. A Swedish bench at the foot of the bed is one element of a cozy sitting area with plenty of seating. Orange club chairs and a matching ottoman bring warmth, while a pair of colorful square-patterned armchairs adds playful texture.

A bedroom is supposed to be peaceful and serene, a place to unwind and rest as day melts into night. But that doesn’t mean that personal retreats can’t have a little pizzazz. Designers Vicki Saxton and Renée Prudhomme adorned this master bedroom with various forms of sparkle, from lush silvery velvet to glittery beaded decorative pillows.

“The gray-green color we selected was calm and somewhat somber,” says Vicki. “We added light-reflecting pieces to give it life and depth.”

Armchairs in front of the marble fireplace are upholstered in a duet of velvets—a rose pattern for the fronts and cushions, and a putty-colored solid on the backs. A tufted ottoman that serves as a coffee table is covered in two shades of smoky gray silk. A Venetian mirror above the mantel balances a corner seating area that features a chaise and a mirror-faced armoire.

Every room in this home is well proportioned, with ten-foot ceilings balancing a more modest floor plan. “We were trying to do a traditional plan with some updates,” says homeowner Rich Davis. “Everything is understated, we didn’t go overboard on anything. That’s what pulls it all together.” A late-18th-century Swedish triple-back settee sits at the end of the bed in the master suite.

Two Asian barrel stools accompany a pair of tufted leather club chairs in the master bedroom of this Hamptons home. Other Asian influences are found in the bamboo bed frame, the Chinese child’s chair, and the intricate mirror above the mantel.

Some designers are aces at combining layer upon layer of multiple colors in a single room. Designer Angela Free is one. At the San Francisco Decorator Showhouse, she used seven shades in the master bedroom she designed—and that only includes the variations of white. “I wanted to use a high-gloss finish because it’s dressy and fresh,” says Angela. “For interest, we used seven shades of white in a variety of finishes that all read differently. The effect was a glowing ambience.”

Embroidered linens hug the upholstered white bed. The bed ensemble also includes a cashmere-and-lamb’s-wool blanket and moss green shams.

Even with the subtle complexity of the neutral background, this room exudes a softness created by glowing colors and furniture with graceful lines. In front of French doors that overlook what Angela calls a “not-so-nice view” sits a settee covered in lavender silk. To handle wear, the seat cushion is covered in mohair of the same hue. Matching antique Louis XVI chairs with pony-hide upholstery face each other over a tufted ottoman with crisscrossing nailhead trim. At the windows, elegance abounds with a curvy lambrequin of warm white linen, edged in green, hanging over linen sheers.

This bedroom’s nine-foot-tall four-poster bed was designed to get the height needed for the vaulted space. The commanding antique mantel and chimney hearth also add verticality. The cosmetic-like palette of creams, peaches, and rosy pinks was chosen for is ability to flatter. A plush armchair and ottoman provide a cozy spot for reading and relaxing by the fire.

A quiet palette of soothing gray and parchment tones keeps the mood in this master bedroom tranquil. A cozy throw, gilded furnishings, and luxurious fabrics make this sitting area intimate and peaceful.

Overlooking Seattle’s skyline and its iconic Space Needle, the master bedroom’s sitting area is ideal for rest and relaxation. A tufted bamboo bench doubles as a tray table, while the upholstered chairs surrounding it keep the mood mellow in quiet neutrals.

Homeowner and designer David L. Smith transformed this Victorian home into a statement of his own unique style. The master bedroom exudes masculine elegance, with deep green walls and accents of navy and chocolate browns. Beside the bed sit two antique chairs upholstered in a handsome houndstooth pattern.

French chairs and a glass-top desk offer stylish workspace. Some of David’s art collection hangs above. “I like things crisp and clean,” he says. “I’m becoming more of a modernist as I get older, but with a little of the old thrown in.”

A gorgeous Austin home affords spectacular views of the lazy Colorado River and the misty Texas Hill Country beyond. Interior designer Fern Santini opted for no window coverings in the master suite. “It was important not to detract from the wonderful windows or from the light coming through them,” she says. The room’s custom carpet quietly grounds chairs upholstered in scarf-weight wool challis. The chairs swivel to take in the sweeping views.

A soft palette and Karastan carpet create a serene setting in this Chicago bedroom. To prevent the gray walls from casting a gloomy spell on the room, homeowner and designer Judith Nadler Ellerman perked up the palette with warm yellows, golds, and peaches. A window arch frames an antique French dough box against the far wall.

Two large armchairs and an ottoman are covered in a needlepoint-inspired floral with a brown background and peach accents. “That fabric pulled it all together, with the brown background and peach floor and gray walls. It brought the inside out and outside in, creating a fluid continuity,” Judith says.

A clean-lined and classic armchair creates an effortless sitting area in this lovely blue bedroom. The oatmeal color matches details on the bed linens and brings warmth to the space, complementing the cool blue throughout the rest of the room.

Bold yellow combines with neutrals to create a tranquil yet happy bedroom suite in the Stately Homes by the Sea Showhouse in Rumson, New Jersey. Wall upholstery and portiere fabric are from Fadini Borghi; toile fabric on the pillows is from Braquenie; bed linens are from Christian Fischbacher. “These fabrics were all used in a very restrained application,” notes designer Tara Sutphin, who created this room with partner Betsy Berner. “We specifically added just a few dashes of color to create an atmosphere of peaceful sophistication.”

The cream-on-cream sitting room is sparked with just a subtle hint of color. The same cream-and-yellow fabric adorning the bedroom walls is used as an accent pillow on the tufted sofa from Pierre Frey. Antiques are mixed with clean-lined contemporary pieces. An enchanting mural by itinerant artist David Wiggins hangs above the mantel.

A master bedroom’s adjoining sitting area features the same cool palette and wool carpet with natural-fiber backing. Soft hues reflect natural light from the windows and keep the mood peaceful and bright.

A renovated Minneapolis apartment blends contemporary comfort with traditional style. In the bedroom, high ceilings and a sitting area make the room feel much more spacious. A sage-colored sofa from A. Rudin, its taupe pillow, and a camel throw keep the mood casual. Reading lights on either side of the bed make the narrow niche feel cozy.

Frank Hodge’s design for this bedroom in the Old York Showhouse in York, Maine, takes full advantage of its spacious proportions. It provides plenty of real estate to accommodate multiple furniture groupings unified by a simple color plan with fabrics and paint finishes in variations of white.

A grand antique Anglo-Indian bed starts this sexy room off on the right note. A more delicate touch of exoticism appears as a custom Indian paisley stencil that finishes the walls in place of crown moldings. For max comfort, several seating options are offered, starting with slipper chairs covered in a Rogers & Goffigon velvet in front of the fireplace. A creamy sofa sits underneath an expansive window, perfect for lounging.

TV journalist Meredith Vieira wanted to update her New York home to make it more functional for her family of five. The new master suite overlooks the courtyard. The four-poster bed from Hickory Chair adds vertical dimension to the space, and the room’s neutral palette makes it a restful destination at the end of a hectic workday.

A Minneapolis couple’s love of art finds a home in this vibrant bedroom. “When friends say our house is out of the box, we tell them it’s more like out of the crate,” laughs homeowner Brad Ray. Large-scale drama abounds in this small bedroom. The soft blue walls bravely boast a three-dimensional wallpaper of exotic old Chinese reverse-glass paintings. And at the foot of their Porthault-covered bed rests an old Indian chartreuse bench that adds a solid punch to the peaceful blue.

Designer Matt Murphy’s fashionable assemblage of midcentury modern furnishings atop a black-and-white rug patterned with concentric rectangles, plus shots of bold color, highlights this showhouse bedroom. "I have a consistent personal style that rides the fence between traditional and modern," Murphy explains. "I like rooms with classic lines and contemporary forms, but with a level of formality." Murphy designed the bold rug to fit the long space. Its graphic and architectural motif complements the sharp lines of the modern furniture.

The long-and-narrow proportions of this bedroom suite provided a space that was easily divided into two areas: a sleeping area defined by a four-poster and a sitting area anchored by a pair of wheat-colored chaise longues. Murphy punctuated the bedroom with 1930s designer Tommi Parzinger pieces, including the low-slung bed as well as the vanity and chair shown above.

Designer Gail Plechaty created this luxurious space, complete with an indulgent 18th-century canopy bed. The room’s off-white color palette complements the drama of the bed and extends into the sitting area for a look of natural comfort. Two antique Italian chairs face a crisp white sofa over a 19th-century Florentine rococo table gilded in 24-carat gold and topped with Carrara marble.

A cool palette of greens and yellows wraps this room in serenity. A simple sitting area of matching chairs, a round table, and a sunny window seat provides the space with dimension. An array of pillows on the window seat creates an inviting spot to sit in the sunshine.

It’s easy to get trapped into using a rainbow of electric colors or theme characters from blockbuster movies when decorating a child’s room. Designers Kate McIntyre and Brad Huntzinger steered away from the expected track to create a girl’s room with a refined but contemporary quality.

Anchoring the room is a four-poster bed faced in bone. Furnishings and accessories with silver accents—a bedside table with a white onyx top, a mirror above the writing desk, a desk chair with silver legs, and an armoire with metal doors—all lend layers of extravagance.

A home overlooking San Francisco Bay showcases interior designer and homeowner Martha Angus’s talents: mixing the graphically modern with the elegantly antique. In the bedroom, contemporary artwork creates drama, and includes a painting by Ciao Fonseca hanging above the bed. A leopard-spotted garden stool is flanked by two plush armchairs in the sitting area.